


In Another Life

by SnowInkling



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, choo choo here comes the feels train, futaba now has two brothers, random internet OC up in here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-12 23:12:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12970512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowInkling/pseuds/SnowInkling
Summary: There was still a plan, but there was not the same hatred and insanity with it. There was still a feeling of otherness, but it was easily staved. There was Goro, and there was his family, a family who chose him, and almost all was right in the world.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a short chapter, but it's to give all you lovely readers a taste as to what will be in this fic.  
> Please enjoy!
> 
> P.S. Shout out to [sakurabomb](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurabomb) for coming up with the intro!

Within the walls of a children’s home located in the city of Tokyo, a young boy sat in a secluded corner, crying. Having his mother commit suicide because of his father, coupled with him being branded an illegitimate child, he felt truly alone. That is, until he heard footsteps approach him. Turning towards the direction of the footsteps, he saw one of the caretakers of the orphanage accompany three others: A man with glasses and a goatee that stuck out, a woman with short, black hair and small, square-framed glasses, and a young girl about a few years younger than him. The girl, who had long, bright orange hair and circular glasses ran towards the boy and grabbed both of his hands, which had been used to wipe away tears that were still falling. This surprised the boy, but if he were to be honest, it was nice to be noticed.

“Mommy!” The little girl exclaimed, startling the boy even more, “This is my new brother, right?” As she asked the question, a big smile appeared on her face.

“That’s right, Futaba.” The woman replied. She looked at the boy and game him a warm smile; something he felt he hadn’t seen in years.

“Brother?” The boy asked through sniffles. He gave the group a puzzled look as he stopped crying.

“Goro Akechi,” The caretaker spoke, addressing the boy, “This is Sojiro Sakura, Wakaba Isshiki, and Futaba Isshiki. You’ll be in Sojiro’s care from now on.”

“And mom and mine too!” Futaba exclaimed, giddy with excitement.

Goro’s mind went blank, as if he were unable to process the news he was given. “Then... that means…” He breathed, barely audible.

“Welcome to the family, Goro.” Sojiro responded, as if to reassure the boy.

It was at that moment that Goro started to cry once again, which astonished his new family. Sojiro started to panic while Wakaba and Futaba started trying to console the young boy. However, Goro just stood up, walked to Sojiro, and hugged him, burying his head in the man’s side.

“Thank you…” Goro said, his words muffled. He kept repeating his words in between waves of tears.

Sojiro, having no idea what to do, looked to Wakaba for assistance. She picked up Futaba, then gave him a look that looked to say, _you’ve got this._

Sighing, Sojiro patted Goro’s head for a couple of seconds, then said, “Let’s go home, Goro.”


	2. Goro Tries to be Nice but Gets Sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Futaba, no.” Goro said in a stern tone.
> 
> “Futaba, yes!” Futaba replied, cackling loud enough for Goro to hear. She then started tapping away on her keyboard.

Years had passed since Goro had been adopted into the Sakura family, where he gradually opened up to them. Now seventeen, he was sitting at the bar of a café Sojiro opened up several years prior, sipping on a cup of coffee. He was looking over old documents regarding a string of murders that took place in a small, rural town, perplexed as to how the case was solved.

“It doesn’t make any sense…” Goro muttered under his breath, “Why would the murderer suddenly just turn himself in? Not to mention hanging the bodies from telephone poles…” Deciding he was going nowhere with this, Goro gathered up the documents, neatly put them in a folder, and placed it in a briefcase he had sitting beside him.

Stretching his arms up, Goro took a look around the café. It was practically empty, save for himself, Sojiro, who was focused on a crossword puzzle in today’s newspaper, and an elderly couple, who had been in the café for almost 4 hours drinking nothing but coffee. The TV was reporting on a string of psychotic breakdown happening recently in parts of Tokyo. _What could be causing all the recent psychotic breakdowns?_

Goro’s train of thought was interrupted when he heard the bell attached to the entrance of the café chime at the arrival of a new customer. Goro turned around to see who walked in and saw a teenaged boy around his age, with black hair, dark grey eyes, and black-framed glasses. He was wearing a school uniform, which Goro recognized as a Shujin Academy uniform. The teen also wore a blank expression, as if he just gave up.

“Vertical is… the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…” Sojiro muttered to himself. He briefly looked up for a second, noticing the teen standing in front of the door. “…Oh, right. They did say that was today.” Sojiro flipped the newspaper onto the bar and got up out of his seat.

“We’ll be going now. The payment’s on the table.” The elderly man said.

Sojiro replied, “Thanks for coming.”

“This place is in the back alley, so there’s no worries about a car crashing in here.” The elderly man commented.

“A what now?” Sojiro asked, confused.

“There’s been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope that none happen around here.”

“Thanks for your concern.” Goro kindly said, stepping in.

“We’ll see you next time, then.” The elderly man said. He and his wife then walked past the teen, who had moved out of the way, and exited the café.

“…Four hours for just a single cup of joe.” Sojiro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He then turned to the teen, saying, “So you’re Akira”

“Is Sakura-san here?” The teen, known as Akira, asked.

“…Yeah. I’m Sojiro Sakura. You’ll be in my custody over the next year.” Sojiro hesitantly replied

Goro recalled Sojiro talking about taking someone in for one reason or another. _So, this must be who he was talking about…_

“This is my son, Goro” Sojiro added, motioning to Goro.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Goro said. He stretched out a hand to Akira, who didn’t shake it. Which left a dispirited Goro to awkwardly bring his hand back to his side.

“I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you’re the one, huh?” Sojiro continued, “Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and—well, not that it matters…” He then took a breath, “Anyways, I’ll show you to where you’ll be staying. Follow me.” Sojiro lead Akira up to the café’s attic, which was being used as storage space, if Goro was remembering correctly.

While he was waiting for Sojiro to come back down, Goro took the elderly couple’s payment from the booth they sat in and placed it in the café’s till. He then went back to the booth, took the used coffee cups, and went to the sink and started cleaning them. Sojiro reappeared in the café just as Goro started to clean the second cup.

“I’ve forgotten how much clutter there is up there…” Sojiro sighed, commenting the state of the attic.

“I’ll go help him once I’m done washing this cup.” Goro replied, still scrubbing the second cup clean. Sojiro let out a grunt in affirmation. Goro then ran the cup under hot water, set it on a drying rack, dried his hands, and went upstairs to the attic.

Sojiro was right in saying that there was a lot of clutter. The bookshelf near what Goro guessed to be a bed looked it overflowed to the point of spilling on the ground, bags littering the floor, and not to mention a cluster of things in the corner of the room, including a sad-looking houseplant. Goro saw Akira pushing a box into the shelf situated beside him.

When Akira noticed Goro’s presence, he asked, “Can I help you?”

“I was wondering if you would like help with cleaning?” Goro asked, smiling sheepishly.

“I’ll be fine.” Akira blankly replied while standing up. “Thanks for the offer, though.” Akira’s words held no emotion, like something in him died.

“Oh, alright.” Goro, said in a disheartened tone. A moment of silence passed before Goro spoke again, “I can’t help but notice that your school uniform is a Shujin uniform.”

“Yeah. So?” Akira spoke, his voice still void of any emotion.

“Well, I also go to Shujin.” Goro replied, a little more confident. “I guess that makes us schoolmates!” He chuckled at the last part. Akira said nothing and continued to clean up the room.

Goro turned his head to the side, a depressed expression soon appearing on his face. After a moment, he quietly asked, “Am I… bothering you?” Akira stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the boy.

“Not at all.” Akira replied, a tinge of sadness dancing within his words. “It’s just…” The teen paused, a melancholic look in his eyes. “A lot has happened recently; none of which I want to talk about right now.”

“I… I see…” Goro breathed out. He turned towards the staircase, saying, “I’ll leave you to your cleaning, then.” The sound of padded feet walking down the café’s staircase was all Goro left for Akira to hear as the former left the room.

 

**Loading** **…**

 

“Hey, Futaba?” Goro called out, knocking on the door to Futaba’s room. “You in there?”

The door swung open, showing Futaba craning her neck up to look at Goro, “Sup, nerd?”

“I’m pretty sure that, out of the both of us, you’re the bigger nerd.” Goro looked at her displeasingly.

“Says the dude who pulled an all-nighter playing Eternal Punishment Online while yelling about Star Wars with your internet friend.” Futaba teased, a huge grin plastered on her face.

“…You’re right we’re both nerds.” Goro admitted, “Now let me in, I wanna talk.”

“What about?”

“You remember Sojiro mentioning taking someone in?”

“Yup.”

“Well, I met him at Leblanc today.”

Futaba’s eyes shone up as her curiosity flared up. She then grabbed Goro by the arm and pulled him inside. Once she closed the door, she asked, “What’s he like? Is he a thug? Is he a nerd like us? Does he work out? And does he skip leg day? Does he--”

“Emotionless.” Goro cut off Futaba’s endless barrage of questions. “completely devoid of any emotions whatsoever.”

“Oh.” Futaba’s grin washed, forming one of sympathy. It was quickly replaced with mischievous curiosity, “Let’s see what sort of person he is by hacking into his phone!” in a heartbeat, she was on her computer.

“Futaba, no.” Goro said in a stern tone.

“Futaba, _yes_!” Futaba replied, cackling loud enough for Goro to hear. She then started tapping away on her keyboard.

Goro sighed, “Futaba, that’s illegal.”

“You _are_ aware that I accidentally started an international hacking organization, right? And you only _now_ care that what I’m doing is illegal?” Futaba asked, a deadpan expression sitting on her face.

Goro groaned, “That’s not the point, Futaba. We shouldn’t be invading his personal privacy like thi--”

“Done!” Futaba exclaimed, interrupting Goro’s lecture. Her computer screen brought up an image of someone’s phone screen, most likely Akira’s.

“What apps does he have?” Goro asked, not practicing what he just preached.

“He’s got a couple pages of apps.” Futaba reported. “The standard ones that came with the phone… the YouTube app… oh wow, he’s still using skype?” Futaba shook her head disapprovingly. “Anyways, where were we? I kind of wanna see what photos he has, but that can wait. Hold up, is that candy crush? What a noob.”

“Oh, wow that’s sad.” Goro commented.

Futaba continued, “Never mind, he has Fire Emblem Heroes. He’s good again in my book. Wait…” Futaba leaned in closer to inspect something on the screen. Goro also leaned in, trying to figure out what Futaba was looking at. Only after a couple seconds did Goro finally understand why. There was an app on Akira’s phone that had a creepy-looking eye on it with a red background.

“He has the app?” Goro breathed, a sense of unease growing in his chest.

“Maybe it just appeared on there, like how ours just randomly appeared on our phones too.” Futaba contemplated aloud.

The two of them then saw Akira take the app and delete it. “What are you _doing_?!” They both yelled into the screen, “You can’t just delete the app, you know!”

“I’m just going to abort this now…” Futaba sighed, closing the program. “Anyways, I’m gonna go stream.”

“See you later then.” Goro said as he made his way out of Futaba’s room.

 

**Loading** **…**

 

 _You have 1 new message(s_ _)_  
  


**Koro:** hey, u up?  
**Crow:** What’s up?  
**Koro:** didja see nsp’s new vid?  
**Crow:** It was hilarious!  
**Crow:** Though Dinosaur Laser fight will always be the best.  
**Koro:** oh yeah def!  
**Koro:** anyways, whats new w/ you?  
**Crow:** A person moved in today.  
**Koro:** oh?  
**Crow:** Yeah, but he’s living in the attic of my dad’s café.  
**Koro:** y tho?  
**Crow:** We don’t have any available rooms in our house.  
**Koro:** ah  
**Crow:** Anyways, I tried talking to him, but…  
**Crow:** He looks like he’s just given up on life.  
**Koro:** kinda sounds like an old frined of mone…  
**Koro:** all i can say is try to interact w/ him and to hear him out whnen he needs someoen to listen  
**Crow:** Thanks buddy.  
**Koro:** np dude  
**Crow:** I have one question.  
**Koro:** ?  
**Crow:** Could you maybe… please… type correctly?  
**Koro:** NEVER!!!  
**Crow:** Why did I anticipate that as a response?  
**Koro:** >:3c

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to [sakurabomb](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurabomb) for giving me inspiration for this fic


End file.
